OCR Text |
Show Parents must check child's immunization Epidemics of polio, diphtheria, diph-theria, whooping cough, measles, meas-les, rubella and mumps used to be excused as acts of God. The risk of a child contracting one or more of these serious diseases would have been left to chance. Today, thanks to the availability availa-bility of immunizations, these diseases are no longer a matter of chance. Parents who allow their children to go unprotected are making their choice - the choice for their children to someday become infected with completely preventable diseases. Measles, rubella (german measles) and mumps still occur oc-cur in outbreaks throughout the United States. Whooping cough has been reported with increased frequency in recent years. Several cases of polio were reported in the United States in 1977, one person died. Although these diseases should no longer be a problem in our society, it seems that the problem in recent years has become worse. If the results of the 1976 U.S. Immunization Survey are applied to Utah it would be estimated that of preschool and school age children, over 200,000 are inadequately protected. pro-tected. As the number of unprotected children increases, increas-es, so does the chance of an epidemic. When an epidemic strikes, it is our children who will become ill and be put at risk of serious complications, even death. Immunizations can begin at any age. By age two, a child should have received 4 diph theria - tetanus - whooping cought shots (DTP), 3 polio doses, measles, rubella, and mumps. But it is never too late, immunizations can begin at any age. Parents should make their choice now. Are your children going to be protected or remain unprotected? Don't put it off, study the facts. Review your children's immunization im-munization records now. Consult Con-sult with your family physician physi-cian or local health department depart-ment if you have questions about immunizations. But decide de-cide now before the health of your child is left to chance. |